Improvement in running-gears for wagons



4. L.D.HURD.' Running-Gear for Wagons mi WITNEgSES: T INVENTOR. Vwfww/fiwazmza Oil 8M ATTORNEYS.

N.PEIERS, FHOTO-UTHOGRAFHEFL WASHINGTON D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LORENZO D. HURD, OF WELLSVILLE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-SIXTH HISRIGHT TO JAMES DEVLIN, OF WILLIAMSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN RUNNING-GEARS FOR WAGONS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 216,854, dated J u nc24, 1879; application filed April 4, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LORENZO D. HURD, of

. Wellsville, in the county of Allegany and State of New York, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Running- Gcars for Wagons, ofwhich the following is a specification.

Figure 1 represents the under side of a wagon to which my improvementhas been applied, partly in section, to show the construction. Fig. 2 isa vertical longitudinal section of the same, taken through the line noas, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail view of one of the forward spindles,showing the spring, springseat, and spring-socket'in section. Fig. etisa detail view of one of the rear spindles, showing the spring andspring-socket in section. Fig. 5 is a detail section of the forwardaxle.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The object of this invention is to improve the construction of therunning-gear of wagons in such a way that each wheel may rise in passingover an obstruction independent of the others, and without changing thelevel of the wagon-body, and in such away as to bring the wagon moreperfectly under the control of the team, making it more reliable andsatisfactory in use.

The invention consists in the combination of the springs and thespring-sockets with the spindles formed upon or attached to the rearaxles, and with the crossbars attached to the body of the wagon; in thecombination of the springs, the spring-sockets, and the hinged orjointed brace-bars with the spindles formed upon the forward axles, withthe rods, and with the said forward axles; in the combination of theblocks and the pivot-bolts with the slotted ends of the brace-bars andof the cross bar; in the combination of the adjustable washers with thepivot-block, its pivot-bolt, and the slotted forward end of thebrace-bar hinged or jointed to the forward axle, for regulating thegather of the wheel; in the combination of the conical seats with thespindles of the forward axles, with the rods, and with the springs; andin the combination of the keeper and the guard with the rear axle andthe body of the wagon, as hereinafter fully described.

A are the rear wheels, which revolve upon the journals of the axle B. Tothe axle B, at the inner ends of the hubs of the rear wheels, A, aresecured the slotted lower ends or bases of the spindles G, the upperends of which pass up between the ends of the two crossbars D, to whichthe body E'is secured. The spindles C also pass up through the socketsF, secured to the upper side of the projecting ends of the twocross-bars D, and have nuts screwed upon their upper ends.

Upon the spindles G, and within the sockets F, are placed spiral orother springs G, the lower ends of which rest upon the shoul ders' ofthe said spindles G, and upon their upper ends rest the tops of thesockets F.

To the body E, or to one of the cross-bars D, is attached a bolt or pin,H, which passes down through a keeper, 1), attached to the side of theaxle B, and through a guide-hole in the center of the brace-bar I. Theend parts of the brace-bar'l are curved upward, and are attached to thecross-barD or body E.

The cavity of the keeper b is made longer than the thickness of the boltor pin H, and in its ends, at the opposite sides of the said pin or boltH, are inserted wooden blocks to receive the wear, lessen friction, andprevent swaying.

With this construction either of the rear wheels can rise in passingover uneven ground without changing the level of the wagon-body.

J is the reach, the rear part of which is forked, and the rear ends ofits branches pass through the slotted lower ends of the rear spindles,O, at the lower side of the rear axle, B, and have nuts screwed upontheir rear ends, so as to fasten the said axle and the said spindlestogether securely.

The forward end of the reach J is single, and is hinged to lugs attachedto the headblock K, upon which the forward part of the body E rests. Thebody E is kept from longitudinal movement upon the head-block K by twocross-bars, L, attached to the said body in front and rear of the saidhead-block.

M are the forward wheels, which revolve upon the journals of the shortaxles N. The axles N have spindles 0 formed upon their lower sides,which are made hollow, and

through them are passed the rods R. The

lower parts of the rods R pass through holes in the ends of the bar P,which is secured to the lower side of the head-block K and through holesin the forward ends of the brace-bars Q.

The braces Q incline inward and upward,

vand their rear ends are attached to the wagonbody E. The upper parts ofthe rods R pass up between the projecting ends of the crossbars Lthrough the sockets S, attached to the said cross-bars, and have nutsscrewed upon their upper ends.

The cavity of the hollow spindles O is made larger than the rods R, andupon the inner surface of the said spindles O are form ed webs 0, aboutfour inches from each end. These webs 0 have holes formed through themof sufficient size to receive the rods R, and are designed to serve asseats for linings or boxes placed within the said cavity, to prevent thesaid lining from slipping into the middle parts of the said spindles 0.

Upon the upper parts of the rods R, and within the sockets S, are placedspiral or other springs, T, the lower ends of which rest upon theconical seats Z, placed or formed upon the said spindles O, and upontheir upper ends rest the tops of the sockets S, so that either of theforward wheels may rise in passing over uneven ground without changingthe level of the body E.

To the forward side of the axles N are hinged or jointed the branchedrear ends of the bracebars U. The forward ends of the brace-bars U areslotted to receive the block V, which is pivoted in place by a bolt, 0passing horizontally through it. The blocks V and the forward ends ofthe brace-bars U are inserted in horizontal slots in the ends of thecross-bar W, and are pivoted in place by bolts 19, passing verticallythrough the ends of the said cross-bar W and through the said blocks V.The blocks V are made narrower than the width of the slots in the endsof the bracebars U, and the space thus formed is filled by washers vplaced upon the bolt 0 at the sides of the said block V, so that more orless gather may be given to the wheels Mby moving the said washers fromone to the other side of the said block V.

The cross-bar W is pivoted at its center to the forward part of theplate X, the forward end of which is made wide and is rounded off intocircular form, and its rear end is made narrow, and is pivoted to thecenter of the lower part of the head-block K by a bolt.

To the upper side of the plate or frame X are-attached two or morekeepers to receive the tongue, and one of the. said keepers is directlyover the pivot-hole of the said plate, so that the same bolt thatsecures the said plate X to the cross-bar W may also secure the tonguein place. the tongue in place is strengthened against the draft-strainby a brace-bar, Y, the forward end of which is connected with the saidbolt, and its rear end is connected with the bolt that pivots the plateX to the head-block K.

The invention has been described as being applied to wagons; but it isequally applicable to railroad cars, streetcars, and other cars andvehicles.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. The combination of the springs G and thespring-sockets F with the spindles G, formed upon or attached to therear axle, B, and with the cross-bars D, attached to the body E,substantially as herein shown and described.

2. The combination of the springs T, the spring-sockets S, and thehinged or jointed brace bars U with the spindle 0, formed upon' theforward axles, N, with the rods R and with the said forward axles, N,substantially as herein shown and described.

3. The combination of the blocks V and the pivot-bolts o o with theslotted ends of the brace-bars U and of the cross-bar W, substantiallyas herein shown and described.

4. The combination of the adjustable washers o with the-pivoted block V,its pivot-bolt o, and the slotted forward end of the bracebar U, hingedor jointed to the forward axle, N, for regulating the gather of thewheel M, substantially as herein shown and described.

5. The combination, with the axles N, having hollow spindles O, withWebs 0, the bar P, secured to head-block K, and sockets S, of the rodsR, passing through said spindles, bars, and sockets, and the springs T,resting on conical seats, as shown and described.

6. The combination of the pin or bolt H, the keeper b, and the guard Iwith the rear axle, B, and the bodyE of the wagon, substantially asherein shown and described.

LORENZO D. HURD.

Witnesses H. HINoKLE Y, J. O. SAMPSON.

The bolt that secures

